Shandaken Town Board opposes state gun-control law despite public outcry

By JAY BRAMAN JR.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

SHANDAKEN, N.Y. -- Despite a nearly unanimous outcry from residents against a resolution opposing the state's new gun-control law at a Shandaken Town Board meeting Monday, the board passed the measure by a three-to-one vote.

Of the many speakers who took turns at the microphone and the many emails that were sent to the town to be read aloud, only Pine Hill resident Matt Persons, a former gun shop owner, spoke in favor of the measure, which is called a "resolution in support of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution,"

Following several "whereas" statements about the right of the people to keep and bear arms, the measure claims that "legislation passed by the New York state Assembly and Senate infringes on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and would ban the possession and use of firearms now employed by individual citizens of the Town of Shandaken for defense of Life, Liberty and Property and would ban the possession and use of firearms now employed for safe forms of firearms recreation, hunting and shooting within the Town,"

The tone of the debate was set early on when town Supervisor Rob Stanley, who was sick and unable to attend the meeting, had an email read aloud by Town Clerk Joyce Grant urging the rest of the board to table the resolution. Stanley wrote that this matter is better handled by higher levels of government.

But calling the matter a "tyranny of government issue," Councilman Vin Bernstein refused to withdraw the resolution.

Phoenicia resident Robert Burke Warren asked the board to "be on the right side of history" and vote the resolution down.

"It does not speak for me or my family," he added.

Mary Beth Mills, owner of the Peekamoose Restaurant in Big Indian, said that the state's new gun laws do not hurt gun owners. She also said that Bernstein's resolution "does not support me or the town."

Phoenicia resident Nick Alba warned that passing the measure might be more harmful than anyone knows.

"Supporting this resolution can conceivably result in violent death," he said.

Chichester resident Brian Powers called it "personally offensive" that the board was even entertaining the resolution. A gun owner, Powers noted that over 3,000 people live in town and there is no way the resolution represented the collective will of those people.

"I don't think it's our business to talk about this," he said, adding that it is similar to a local government weighing in on the abortion issue.

But in the end, the resolution was brought to a vote, despite board member Doris Bartlett's last minute plea to Bernstein to table it.